Rubber band package



Aug. 20, 1935. K. R. SHAW RUBBER BAND PACKAGE Filed May '5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 20, 1935. K R, HA 2,012,058

RUBBER BAND PACKAGE Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVEZTQR,

ZQATTORN? "-5 a definite quantity. of 'looseibands in abox', or in coated-portion of the backing strip. I nthe par- 1; it? s r 1,9 7' p --RUBBER BAND PAEKAGE Kenneth R: Shaw, Eastharhpt on, Mass as signor to Easltham'iiton 'Rubberj' lhread 09., 'East hampten, Mass;,ia corporation of Massachu- ApplicationMay 5 ,193Q, .SerialNo.449,815 Y J l 2 Claims '(o1.'-20e 4e I v I I Thisinventionrelates. to'the manufacture and merit, including means for rolling the adhesive merchandising'of rubbenbandsp v 1 coatingoncoatings on the stripe while-this strip The usual method of packaging rubber bands is fedacross the surface of a table 5, and a roll for distribution to .thei'tradeocnsists in placing .fifpr'pressing the tube 2 against the adhesively collecting a certainnumber of bands in a bunch 1 ti'culararrangement shown in Figs; 1 andZ'Qnly a orbundle and encircling-themwith anotherband portionof thefiattenedtubez overlies theback ,to' hold the individual bands in the bundle toe ,ing strip 2!, aconsiderable part oi the tube pro-1 gether. Both methods involve averyconsiderable' J'ectingnbeyond the edge of said strip.

' 1O amount'of hand'labor and are, therefore, rel- 'The tube so supported on the backingstri pism atively expensive. In neither method are the I nextcut transversely-to divide it into individual bands arranged in any definite order; and. conrubber b in c a QO t hwllS len of t e sequ'ently they occupy an; excessive amount of rubber tube'is adhesivelys u d h backing shippingspace; 7 stripebythe adhesive coating or coatings 3, the

Q The present invention deals' especially with ou tina p rati n Willleave each individual band 3;,

these considerations; It'aims to improve rubber adhesively iastened to the backing strip. This band packageswitha View to; reducing the labor c t n op a ion ma e performed byhand with involved in making them, and providingfa'packvshears or other cutting implements. Theopera- 7 age which will be neater, more compact; more ition s exp d 0W V Y using hgah aac convenient to handle and which willtfacili tate tion s wn ias at a ly h .2 nd 0,011

. v invention;

the use of the hands by theultimate consumer; 1pfieihg a table 7 over which the tube' ZJand the The nature oi the invention will be readily backing r p 4 a A ta onary s a 'me understood from thev following description when block 3 is providedat theendof thetablel-li nd read in connection with the accompanying draw a ve ly pr t ng knife 9 cooperate Wi hugs, and the novel features will be particularl .this shearing block to out thetube2 into indipointed out in the appended claimsa a s vidual bands H3. 7 Preferably a presser foot-or In the drawings, j i I stripper i2 is associated with the knife 9 'andis Figs. 1 and 2 areperspectiveviews illustrating p in p d. ownwardly slightly .,below the steps of the methodprovided by thisinvention; edg Ofk e wh e Se v s 5 De$sthetube 1 Fig. 3 is a perspective 'view of a portionof a fi asa the pp e O t e shearing block 39; finished package forming one embodiment of the W e th h fi' p e d w i ntact, W th invention; f L thefrontiace of the block and cuts through the Fig-4 is a perspective view illustrating'details tu e t mem r. lso s r o prevent of another package embodying vfeatures of this th tub o lfi ngto and fol-lowin e knife 7 l y V as the latter rises. [li he cutting"operationalso Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the. completed i s fee at d by making the u g dge 9. 0f packaga'a portion. ofwhich is shown inFigA-j n the knife inclined so that-the cut starts atone and edge of .the tubeandprogresses across the tube Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional and perspective i i i ph fl n tte? S. e ade 40 views, respectively, of still another embodiment aga nst the backmegstrip a gandit usually is re of the invention. desirable to carryithecut somewhatibeyond that Referring first to Figs; 1 and 2," arubber tube, ed e o thetubely n 'on h bac i r p so that g such. as those frozniwhich rubber bandsiare cut, th p tel aratiqn 0f the ih V 1 be is indicated at 2. l Suchatubemay bema'de: irom 'ea chctherand from the tube will be enacccrdingto any usual or suitable processand of sured. In the arra own in ggii any desired dimensions. According to the method knife 8 outs not only through the tube but also illustrated one or more strips 3 of 'paste,'.g1 ue, through a eehsideleble' Portion 0f the a k muci1age,or adhesive of any suitable kind, areapstrip l. The-tube is cut and then advanced or V plied to a support or backing strip 4 of paper, fed lengthw s a Short distance equal to the width cardboard, or other appropriate material, card-1 of the band desired, and out again, these cutting 50 board usually being preferred, and the rubber, and feeding movements being repeated indefij tube 2 then is pressedagainst the coated surface 7 nitely to produce a continuous line or row of of the backingstrip and is 'adhesively fastened; bands lying side by side. i d I thereto. These operations may be performed by tendency of e ut edges of thetubes) to. hand or with the aid of relatively simple'equip readhere to or reunitewith each other has provedbS to be a particularly troublesome factor in making rubber bands by this method. I have found, however, that this difiiculty can effectually be overcome by heating the knife 9. This may con veniently be accomplished by securing a fiat electric heating unit It of a common type to one face of the knife 9, the unit being equipped with binding posts I 4 for the attachment thereto of the supply conductors. A high degree of heat is not required, a temperature of, say 200 to 300 F., or about that at which the ordinary fiat iron is used, being sumcient. The reasons for this improved result are not entirely clear, but I have definitely determined that the heating of the knife in the manner just described effectually overcomes the tendency of the out surfaces of the rubber tube to reunite.

other notwithstanding the fact that they lie side .by side in contact with each other.

When the knife 9 has made a predetermined to produce packages of the desired lengths. A

label l5, Fig. 3, bearing a trade-mark, or the manufacturers or distributors name, and any other desired information, may be cemented to one side of the backing strip.

The'packages produced in this manner may be merchandised without further preparation. The adhesive union between each band l and the backing strip 4, while readily breakable, nevertheless has ample strength to prevent accidental removal of the bands. 'In such a package the bands are arranged in an orderly manner so that they occupy a minimum of shipping space. This arrangement also facilitates the use of the bands by the ultimate consumer, it being merely necessary, when he wishes to use a band, to pull one off the backing l, the other bands remaining undisturbed by such removal. of the backing member I5 into strips which'occurs during the'cutting of the tube to produce individual bands is of advantage to the ultimate consumer in permitting him to tear 01f sections of the backing strip as the bands are removed so that the total bulk of the package can be diminished as the number of bands left on it is reduced.

A further variation of the package above described is shown in Figs. 4 and.5 in which the backing strip 3 is folded upon itself to bring the entire row of bands In over upon one face of,

backing strip to give additional rigidity to'the entire package.

When the bands are formed in this manner they do not adhere to each 5 The partial cutting Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which the backing strip 4 is made approximately equal to or slightly wider than the width of the rubber tube when in its flattened condition, and the tube for its entire width is superposed on the backing strip and is adhesively united thereto nearthe opposite edges of said strip. The tube may be out while in this position by a knife or cutter which cuts against the backing strip but does not cut through it, the knife having a straight edge extending parallel to the backing strip. This cutting operation dividesthe tube into individual bands ll), each adhesively'secured to the backing strip 4', and the strip later is cut into suitable lengths for individual packages. Preferably a binding strip or label I1- is stretched across the entire row of bands l0, as shown in Fig. '7 and its ends are fastened to the backing strip 4. If the backing strip is made somewhat wider than as shown in Fig. 7, the knife may be made to cut through the backing strip leaving'uncut'margins at opposite ends of the bands.

It will nowbe appreciated that the invention materiallyreduces the hand labor involved in packing rubber bands for distribution through the ordinary merchandising channels, and that it provides a novel rubber band packagewhich not only can be manufactured economically but which is neat and attractive in appearance and are held indefinite and orderly relationship in readiness for use and until the supply in the package is completely exhausted is a material advantage to the users of these goods.

While I have herein disclosed typical packages embodying my invention, it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms.

This application is a continuation, in part, of my application Serial No. 404,279, filed Novemher 2, 1929. The method disclosed in this application is not claimed here but is claimed in my pending application Serial No. 509,230.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A rubber band package comprising a backing member of sheet material and a row of rubber bands positioned on said backing member side by side and closely. adjacent'to each other approximately in'abuttin'g relationship, said backing member being partially cut into strips corresponding in'number and position to said rubber bands, the bands being adhesively secured to said respective strips.

2. A rubber band package comprising a backing member of sheet material, and a row of parallel rubber bands detachably fastened to said backing member sidev by side in substantially abutting relationship, saidwbacking member being partially divided into strips by cuts extending approximately parallel to said bands and adjacent to each other, whereby said strips can be torn oif as said bandsare used up.

KENNETH R. SHAW.

is convenient to handle. The fact that the bands 

